The Cougar
by Nikolettelime
Summary: A simple act turns into a fight for survival. I'm terrible at summaries, but please read and review.


My first attempt at a Laramie story.

I got this idea after tangling with some of our not so tame kittens. FYI, getting bit by a little devil like that hurts the same as a grown cat, if not worse. It got me thinking about big cats.

Also, I mention Jess running with Marshal's. In the episode The Marshal's, Jess was on a friendly basis with Deputy Marshal Branch McCrory(?) I am taking liberty with this since it's never mentioned how they really know each other.

Another thing is Daisy being an army nurse. I can't remember if it is really mentioned or not, I'm just throwing it in there, as a probability.

Anyway, I own nothing, nothing, nothing.

Jess Harper looked at the tracks left in the dirt, while his friend and partner, Slim Sherman sighed and shook his head about their luck; another downed steer.

"What do you think, Jess? Wolves?"

Jess stood and dusted his hands on his chaps, "No. The tracks are all wrong, and the kill wasn't like a dog. We are looking at a cat. And a big one at that."

"I'll have the word spread to be on the look out and not to go off alone. Best to let the other rangers know and be aware of what's going one."

Jess agreed, and grabbed a shovel off the saddle, "Sounds like a plan. I'll get this buried and will meet you back at the house in a few hours. Don't need any other wild animals coming around here."

Slim nodded in agreement and mounted his horse, heading back to get ready for the next stage, and to have the driver pass the word along. Hopefully the cat would be caught soon and without further loss if livestock.

Jess threw the last shovel of dirt on the large mound he already had and wiped his face on the arm of his shirt. It was cool out and the sun had fully risen, to, if Jess were to take a guess, roughly two in the afternoon. He placed the shovel back on the saddle and went to mount, when he heard it. The unmistakable sound of a cougar 'screaming'.

Quickly mounting, and running his horse like he would never before, he pointed it home, hoping Slim, Daisy and Mike were all inside. He was no more than a quarter of a mile from the corral, when he was pushed from the back of his horse by something light colored and very heavy. He fell hard, hitting his head in a rock and barely had time to shake the gray from his vision when he felt the weight on him and a sharp, blinding pain in his shoulder.

Slim and Mike were outside when they heard a cougar scream and saw Jess' horse running by; with no Jess.

Slim quickly shoved Mike inside, grabbing his shotgun as he ran back out the door, heading to lock up the horses.

Jess managed to wrap his fingers around the handle of his revolver, that had been thrown from his hip. He could feel the cat on his back and digging its claws in deeper as it growled. He managed to squeeze off three shots before the cat finally ran into the woods.

He rolled onto his side and groaned. He was so close, but so far away from home. Home. He had to get home. Had to let Slim know about the cat coming to the house. Had to get word out to the other farms in the area.

He had to get up. He had to. There was no other choice. He had to move. He couldn't lay there.

Slim heard the shots from up in the hayloft, where he had gone so that he could keep a look out in case the cougar tried to get the horses. He waited a while longer but saw nothing. He climbed down the ladder an made his way back to the house, keeping a lookout as he went. Daisy met him at the door, "Slim! What was it? Mike said there was a cougar nearby?"

"Yeah. And Jess didn't come back with his horse. I'm going to go look for him."

Mike looked at him, "Hopefully he got away from it and that's what the shots were." Slim put a hand on Mike's shoulder, "I'm sure that's exactly what it is, Tiger. Go get cleaned up for dinner. Daisy hasn't been cooking for nothing, you know."

Once Mike was gone, Daisy looked at Slim, "There is no way he hasn't been hurt and still hasn't shown up yet. He is out there, Slim. Bring him home."

Slim pulled his jacket on, "I will. Have your things ready. You may need it."

Jess leaned against the tree he was using for support and slid down it. He was tired. Oh so, so tired. And it was hot. When did the middle of September in Wyoming get so hot?

He thought someone was calling his name, but if they were, they needed to let him sleep. It was too early and, unless there were a fire, he wanted his sleep.

Now he knew he didn't just imagine that someone slapped him. Last time that happened, he was running with the Marshal's office and got slapped by a lady after telling her she was pretty. Apparently the wrong thing to tell someone who had been in a wagon for over a week.

Slim saw Jess against the tree and rushed to him. Calling his name got no response and neither did splashing him with cool water. So, Slim slapped Jess and was rewarded with a groan.

"Come on, Jess! Wake up! That cat could be back anytime!"

Daisy stood by the door, watching for her boys to come home. Dusk was coming and would soon be too dark to see.

Then she heard the horse galloping into the barn and opened the front door to allow them entrance into the front room.

Slim watched as Daisy gently covered up his best friend and ran her fingers through his hair, pushing the sweaty bangs off his face, and testing a fever she knew he had, the moment she saw him in Slim's arms.

"Is he going to be okay, Daisy?"

The former Army nurse hesitated as she wrung out a wet cloth, "Lord willing, then, yes. He will. But he was burning with fever and infection when you brought him in, so he will need to fight. Fight as hard as he did when he was shot helping that marshal transport his prisoner in that tumbleweed jail."

Slim nodded, but said nothing. It was during one of those nights when Jess was still healing, that he confessed to Slim that in the end, just before the doctor ran into the sheriff office, he had given up. Slim didn't want to burden the kind woman that had taken over as so many things in both his and Jess' life.

His family was burning again. He had to get to them, but something was holding him back. He HAD to get to them.

Daisy placed the cloth on Jess' face again, and wiped down his neck and chest. She fought back tears as she heard Jess cry out for his mama.

Slim walked in from outside and turned to Daisy as she stood from the bed by the window, "How is he doing, Daisy? Any change?"

Daisy shook her head, "No. But I'm afraid to make the ride into town for the doctor It would do no good for you to be attacked as well. I'm terrified for you to even feed the stock."

Slim looked at Jess, who appeared to be quiet for the time being, "He can't wait, Daisy. He needs help."

She adjusted the blankets on Jess, "Stage will be here in the morning. You can send word then. And then word can spread for the other ranchers to be on the lookout. Until then, I'll go make dinner. Mike is quietly reading in his room. I'm sure he is bored out of his mind."

Slim sat by his friend and put his hand on Jess' arm. He said nothing, just hoped that Jess would last the night.

The stage couldn't come quick enough the next day and Slim made sure the stage driver knew the urgency of the matter.

The doctor came and went. He admired Daisy's handiwork and stated that he couldn't have done a better job and there was nothing further to be done.

A week went by. The fever spiked again. Jess cried out for his family. He called for his mama and begged her to stay with him.

He asked for the burning to stop. He asked for the pain to end. He begged for relief that was slow in coming.

Slim was sitting with him when his fever broke and Jess finally looked at him for the first time in over a week.

Slim helped Jess drink the medicated water, and made him comfortable again, "How long?"

"Just over a week. You had us worried. Need you mucking the stalls and changing out the horses. Can't have you laying around doing nothing, you know."

Jess laughed then grimaced, "Don't make me laugh, Slim."

Slim sat back in the chair, "You have no idea how bad I've wanted to hear that sound."

Daisy and Mike came in and saw Jess was awake and joined them.

It was two weeks after Jess woke up and he was sitting on the porch with his shotgun on his lap when one of the neighbors came riding up, a package laying across his lap.

One look from Daisy and Slim and Jess sunk back into the chair he was in.

"Howdy, Slim, Jess and Daisy. I thought you might want this, Jess. Figured you deserve it after all you went through." He handed the package Slim who walked over to Jess.

Jess opened the package and pulled out the softest hide he had ever touched.

"Killed it as it went to attack one of my ranch hands. My wife and I fixed it up for you."

Jess smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Tell Nora I appreciate it, greatly."

Daisy went inside and told Mike he could come out, after Mr. Wilson left and Mike ran to the chicken house to gather eggs. Daisy said that she was going to make dinner as Slim went and let the horses out of the barn.

When Daisy stepped out onto he porch to let them know dinner was ready, she saw Jess had fallen asleep with the cougar skin on his lap.

Slim woke Jess up and helped him into the house and settled him on the bed by the door.

It was a few more weeks before Jess was allowed to help with even the smallest chores. But soon, he was back to riding the range and stepping in as deputy when Mort was gone from the Sheriff's office.

And Slim and Jess were back and that is all either have wanted.


End file.
